The Neanderthals of Gorham’s Cave

Long before modern humans walked the earth, there lived in Europe another species off humans—the Neanderthals. It’s unclear exactly when Neanderthals appeared on the scene. Estimates range from 300,000 years to as far back as 800,000 years ago. Their date of extinction is also uncertain. It’s generally accepted that the Neanderthals went extinct about 40,000 years ago, but there are several isolated pockets around Europe where Neanderthals appeared to have survived for much longer. One such location is the Gorham's Cave complex. This particular location is important because it is one of the last known sites occupied by the Neanderthals in Europe. Neanderthal family group at the entrance to a coastal cave, by Charles R. Knight (1920). Gorham's Cave is a collection of four caves situated on the steep limestone cliffs on the sea-facing side of the Rock of Gibraltar. The entrance of the cave is approximately 35 meters high, but the deeper the cave goes it becomes narrower, until at some 60 meters depth it makes a sudden 90 degrees turn. The total length of this cave is approximately 100 meters, but it is possible that further research might make the cave longer and might bring new, amazing discoveries. When the cave was first inhabited some 55,000 years ago, the shore was approximately 5 km away. However, after the last ice age ended and global sea level rose, the sea came nearer. Now the cave is only a few meters from the Alboran Sea. Gorham’s cave complex. Photo: Visit Gibraltar/Flickr The cave was first discovered by Captain A. Gorham of the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers in 1907. Gorham inscribed his name and the date of his discovery in lamp-black on the wall of the cave, which has borne his name ever since.